PS2 HDDChecker

[sp193]

I've uploaded my log from the newest version 0.96.
Now 34 problems has been found & fixed.
For me it's a little bit odd.
To copy files from USBHDD to PS2HDD I used wLe from 2018/06/12.

Thank you. I think the problem may be with PFS.

I cannot seem to replicate the bug though (at least, I have no idea how to), although I do know that PFS is occasionally strange.
Do you have some time to help me with confirming whether the issue is gone? I'm opening this to everybody (who do not mind wrecking some PFS partition), to try to speed up this testing process. I have tested my own changes to the PS2SDK and my __common partition wasn't wrecked, but PFS is a pretty complicated thing to deal with.

Basically, you must create a new PFS partition and only use the fixed LaunchELF and HDDChecker on it. It can be named anything and you can do anything related to the fixed LaunchELF, with it.
If you use other tools (which are bugged) to write data to the PFS partition, then the PFS partition may be damaged by them (we cannot prevent this).

HDDChecker v0.961, 2018/06/16: https://www.sendspace.com/file/85b6sg
LaunchELF 2018/06/16: https://www.sendspace.com/file/yolhc7

BTW navigating through app, when item is highlighted for the first time,
is slow as it is with FMCB 1.96.

Yeah, since HDDChecker also had a UI upgrade. It is a problem with FreeType and this 294MHz CPU.
Using a different font might help if the font has support for hinting, which apparently the Google Noto font lacks.

 

[jolek]

Basically, you must create a new PFS partition and only use the fixed LaunchELF and HDDChecker on it. It can be named anything and you can do anything related to the fixed LaunchELF, with it.
If you use other tools (which are bugged) to write data to the PFS partition, then the PFS partition may be damaged by them (we cannot prevent this).

HDDChecker v0.961, 2018/06/16: https://www.sendspace.com/file/85b6sg
LaunchELF 2018/06/16: https://www.sendspace.com/file/yolhc7

I've tried these tools & I also formatted my PS2HDD.
While coping normal ELF's files to PS2HDD don't make a mess,
the problem begins when I want to copy art covers for OPL.
Every time first 17 covers give me an error in HDD checker.

So I deleted these 17 files (covers) from mass.
Now I formatted my PS2HDD once again, copied covers (without error files that was deleted)
and I still have a problem, this time with different, still first 17 game covers.

I'm uploading "HDDChecker.7z" archive with logs from HDD checker:
FMCB - after FMCB\FHDB 1.96 was installed (no errors).
OPL - after I boot OPL for the first time (no errors).
ART - first attempt to copy ART covers to OPL, ART folder (17 errors).
ART2 - second attempt when I copied cover to new partition "ForSP" (17 errors).

HDDChecker.7z:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/575budoetzrmnf5/HDDChecker.7z.
ART.7z:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/2kcioe2w2icq3or/ART.7z.

 

[sp193]

Thank you. I have fixed the issue, which is very silly. I haven't noticed it until today, but fsck (of HDDChecker) has been checking the same 17 files, over and over again. It's because I kept resetting the pointer for the directory entry to the start of the inode after 512 bytes, which is wrong (it's not moving past the the first 512 bytes).

I'm trying to fix some bugs from LaunchELF first, before I re-release all software.

 

[sp193]

HDDChecker v0.961 Released!

Changelog for v0.961:

• Fixed incorrect logic that prevented fsck from checking more than ~16 files in a directory.
• Added option to format a HDD, if not formatted.
• Updated translation template.

On a side note, LaunchELF has been updated to support HDD-based paths. So by using a new build of LaunchELF, one can boot this piece of software from the HDD unit.
(We are no longer restricted to only FHDB)

Downloads/Links
HDDChecker project page (Downloads at bottom): https://sites.google.com/view/ysai187/home/projects/hddchecker

 

[sp193]

HDDChecker v0.961 Re-released

Changelog for v0.961 (as of 2018/06/19):

• Fixed incorrect logic that prevented fsck from checking more than ~16 files in a directory.
• Added option to format a HDD, if not formatted.
• Updated translation template.
• NEW - Fixed incorrect logic in UI, which causes the menu to be opened twice.

On a side note, LaunchELF has been updated to support HDD-based paths. So by using a new build of LaunchELF, one can boot this piece of software from the HDD unit.
(We are no longer restricted to only FHDB)

Downloads/Links
HDDChecker project page (Downloads at bottom): http://ichiba.geocities.jp/ysai187/PS2/HDDChecker.htm

 

[sp193]

HDDChecker v0.961 Re-released

Changelog for v0.961 (as of 2018/06/20):

• Fixed incorrect logic that prevented fsck from checking more than ~16 files in a directory.
• Added option to format a HDD, if not formatted.
• Updated translation template.
• Fixed incorrect logic in UI, which causes the menu to be opened twice.
• NEW - Added missing code for reloading the HDD modules, to allow the disk's format status to be refreshed after a disk erasure.

On a side note, LaunchELF has been updated to support HDD-based paths. So by using a new build of LaunchELF, one can boot this piece of software from the HDD unit.
(We are no longer restricted to only FHDB)

Downloads/Links
HDDChecker project page (Downloads at bottom): https://sites.google.com/view/ysai187/home/projects/hddchecker

 

[jolek]

I've been "thinking" (

) recently about an app or additional feature\function
to also checks memory cards for bad blocks.
I mean some memory cards are in adult age (probably writing cycle it is more significant),
some that are not genuine (or something is broken inside of them), may have problems with that.

E.g there might be users who have installed FMCB, installation went smooth, but...
after restart they have never ending loop of restarts.
Maybe this solution will also helps users with others apps?
E.g BSOD after launching an app, etc.

 

[pvc1]

sp193, please repair link to 0.962 on mediafire - Download not available

 

[jolek]

The same thing is with Playstation 2 Identification Tool v0.834 (2018/10/21).

 

[jolek]

I don't know if this is gonna be feedback or I'm complaining (being annoying), but currently
it takes some time for v0.962 (27\10\2018) to "Check disk for errors" to initialize.
~10 sec on "Please wait" screen\page.
At first, I thought that the program crash\freeze.

In Previously version I thought it was in some way quicker.

 

[sp193]

sp193, please repair link to 0.962 on mediafire - Download not available

The same thing is with Playstation 2 Identification Tool v0.834 (2018/10/21).

All links were replaced today, when new files were uploaded for FMCB, PS2Ident, HDDChecker and HDLGameInstaller. This was also done to update their USB modules.

I don't know if this is gonna be feedback or I'm complaining (being annoying), but currently
it takes some time for v0.962 (27\10\2018) to "Check disk for errors" to initialize.
~10 sec on "Please wait" screen\page.
At first, I thought that the program crash\freeze.

In Previously version I thought it was in some way quicker.

I haven't changed anything in quite a while. When you choose to check the disk for errors, HDDChecker first checks the APA partition links for errors, before checking each PFS partition. Since there is no progress feedback for the hdck module, this step is done behind a "Please wait" screen. The more partitions you have, the longer this will take.

 

[jolek]

I haven't changed anything in quite a while. When you choose to check the disk for errors, HDDChecker first checks the APA partition links for errors, before checking each PFS partition. Since there is no progress feedback for the hdck module, this step is done behind a "Please wait" screen. The more partitions you have, the longer this will take.

Yeah, maybe because of a newly installed few games this process takes more time.
Thanks for an answer & support.

 

[jolek]

While boot HDDChecker v0.962 from HDD, I've notice that navigating through options is very smooth,
although app will freeze when I attempt check the disk for errors.

When I launch HDDChecker v0.962 from USB navigating through options takes some time,
especially when an Item has been selected for the 1st time.

I've tried to load FMCB\FHDB Installer v1.965, Playstation 2 Identification Tool v0.834 from HDD,
to check if a GUI will also become more responsive, but I've got only BSOD.

Anyway, maybe compressing background or other stuff will become GUI to be more responsive from USB,
since everything is smooth from HDD at the beginning?

 

[sp193]

although app will freeze when I attempt check the disk for errors.

This is a known issue, but I have no access to the source code and no PS2s, which is why I have not fixed it yet. :|
I plan to do this, after fixing the issues with HDLGameInstaller. Since nobody would use something that does not work.

When booted from the HDD unit, the whole font is read into memory, so that the disk may be scanned and maintained. This is where it works differently, from when the tool is booted from other devices.

While boot HDDChecker v0.962 from HDD, I've notice that navigating through options is very smooth,

When I launch HDDChecker v0.962 from USB navigating through options takes some time,
especially when an Item has been selected for the 1st time.

Really? That's interesting. Thanks for sharing.
HDDChecker is a special thing, however. Unlike other software, it will read the font into memory, if booted from the HDD unit. RAM is very fast, which could explain why it's so much faster to have the font stored in memory.

I've tried to load FMCB\FHDB Installer v1.965, Playstation 2 Identification Tool v0.834 from HDD,
to check if a GUI will also become more responsive, but I've got only BSOD.

I think they don't support the HDD unit. If you have been using an old version of LaunchELF or some old homebrew software like ps2link to boot them, then it would make sense because I did whitelist the "host" device - since I do debugging. Old homebrew software may use "host" for paths on the HDD unit.

Anyway, maybe compressing background or other stuff will become GUI to be more responsive from USB,
since everything is smooth from HDD at the beginning?

They're built into the ELF. The only thing they really access during runtime
The lag comes from drawing text. From that time when I changed the method of font kerning, it became like that.

 

[jolek]

This is a known issue, but I have no access to the source code and no PS2s, which is why I have not fixed it yet. :|
I plan to do this, after fixing the issues with HDLGameInstaller. Since nobody would use something that does not work.

I know that you know that, that's why I only highlighted "the important part".

When booted from the HDD unit, the whole font is read into memory, so that the disk may be scanned and maintained. This is where it works differently, from when the tool is booted from other devices.

Really? That's interesting. Thanks for sharing.
HDDChecker is a special thing, however. Unlike other software, it will read the font into memory, if booted from the HDD unit. RAM is very fast, which could explain why it's so much faster to have the font stored in memory.

Hmm, maybe I can test at least FMCB\FHDB Installer with font stored in memory (RAM)?

If everything will be fine maybe this "fix" can be also added into
Playstation 2 Identification Tool, PlayStation 2 HDD checker, HDLGameInstaller?

I think they don't support the HDD unit. If you have been using an old version of LaunchELF or some old homebrew software like ps2link to boot them, then it would make sense because I did whitelist the "host" device - since I do debugging. Old homebrew software may use "host" for paths on the HDD unit.

That's interesting, because...
I've only tried to launch FHBD\FMCB v1.965 installer from HDD with uLe 4.42d
and instead of a BSOD it kicks me back to FMCB\FHDB browser.

They're built into the ELF. The only thing they really access during runtime
The lag comes from drawing text. From that time when I changed the method of font kerning, it became like that.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[sp193]

HDDChecker v0.963 released!

Changelog:

• Fixed deadlock that occurred when the logger tries to create a log file on the HDD unit, when HDDChecker is booted from the HDD unit (this is not supported).
• Fixed inability for the font system to be reinitialized after IOP reboots (when transitioning between the various operating modes).
• Added font glyph caching system, to improve rendering performance.

Downloads/Links
HDDChecker project page: https://sites.google.com/view/ysai187/home/projects/hddchecker

 

[Tupakaveli]

@sp193

Thought you might like to know...

I loaded up 0.963 and it reports my HDD as being 1Tb.

I also tried to check the disk for errors but I don't think it worked correctly. It went to the screen with the loading bar but never progressed beyond 0%, after a while it went back to the main menu.

 

[sp193]

I loaded up 0.963 and it reports my HDD as being 1Tb.

This might be due to (very generous) rounding. I've been counting 1TB as 1024GB (and so on), so a 2TB disk will be something like 1.86TB, which gets truncated to 1TB because I use integers here. I should probably make it display the capacity in GB instead.

I also tried to check the disk for errors but I don't think it worked correctly. It went to the screen with the loading bar but never progressed beyond 0%, after a while it went back to the main menu.

Which mode was it? If you did the disk check, then it will:

• Check partition links (at the "Please Wait..." screen).
• Check the integrity of PFS partitions.

Since you don't have many PFS partitions, it might just spend some time at the "Please Wait...", before suddenly displaying the scan complete message.

Disk scan & optimization log files will also be recorded to the directory that HDDChecker was booted from. Surface scan & zero fill modes will not generate log messages. Logging will be disabled if the tool is booted from the HDD unit itself.

 

[jolek]

~10 sec on "Please wait" screen\page.

I also tried to check the disk for errors but I don't think it worked correctly. It went to the screen with the loading bar but never progressed beyond 0%, after a while it went back to the main menu.

Theoretically I need to wait ~10 sec on "Please wait" screen\page when I want to check for errors.
I have only 500 GB HDD, so try to wait up to ~1-2 min.
I do not remember if a HDD LED in PS2 should blink while checking APA partition links (at Please wait screen...).

 

[Tupakaveli]

This might be due to (very generous) rounding. I've been counting 1TB as 1024GB (and so on), so a 2TB disk will be something like 1.86TB, which gets truncated to 1TB because I use integers here. I should probably make it display the capacity in GB instead.

I see, that makes perfect sense then.

Since you don't have many PFS partitions, it might just spend some time at the "Please Wait...", before suddenly displaying the scan complete message.

Ugh. I'm an idiot

I guess it did that part so fast that I thought it didn't complete properly so I didn't check for the logs...

But I just looked and they are there, it looks like it completed with 0 errors. Sorry to waste your time.